Here’s the final installment of our two part coverage of Specialized’s Lead Graphic Designer Garrett Chow’s SF art installment. If you missed part 1, you can catch it here.

At whatever level you partake in the sport you’ve spent some time briefly rooting for a Pro, reading about their setups, or ogling their beautiful toys. Even if you’re disenchanted with the current state of cycling, a beautiful bike will still put a grin across your face. So we jumped at the chance to stop by and gawk at the several road bikes designed for Pro’s or owned by Specialized’s lead graphic designer – Garrett Chow.

Full disclosure: Spandex ain’t really my thing. Love bikes, have a road bike (some might call ancient), but I prefer dirt. Since I’m no expert on the components/setups, I opted to take pictures. Lot’s of pictures. Enjoy! If you have any questions just leave them in the comments.

FEA Venge

This Specialize S-Works Venge has been custom painted to match the FEA analysis of the bike undergoing pedaling forces. The red areas demonstrate where the most forces are exerted. Click the image to enlarge.

The bike is finished off with an electronic Campagnolo Super Record groupo.

Tom Boonen’s Venge

This frame had several unique touches but my relatively slow lens and the lighting conspired against me. In this image you can just faintly make out the names of the various events which Tom Boonan has achieved success.

Black/Silver Venge

Black/Silver Allez

This Allez was the only aluminum road frame on display at the show.

My favorite detail is how the SRAM logos on the derailleur perfectly matched the frames painted accents.

Looks more like a displacement plot (red = highest displacement) than a stress plot. But cool anyways

Hughesdale Hammer - 11/13/12 - 3:30am

Are you sure it’s FAE, and not FEA? It should stand for Finite Element Analysis.
Also, not to be a stickler, but the graphic on the bike is displacement, not stress or forces, so the red area shows the location of greatest movement under force.
I’m sure someone else will have pointed it out by the time this gets published.
Great looking scheme though, definitely one for the tech-nerds, love it.

Unica Devastanza - 11/13/12 - 5:25am

Does the FEA Venge color scheme change while pedalling? Following the displacement plot?

SWijland - 11/13/12 - 7:21am

Boonen used to be on a San Marco Regal until recently

Discodave - 11/13/12 - 11:05am

Before I read the article I thought his inspiration might
come from a piece of Fruit Strip gum.

Terry - 11/13/12 - 11:29am

The langster’s saddle in the first picture reminds me of the concave/convex face illusion despite the fact that it’s mounted to a bike, it looks like it’s mounted to the bike sideways.

PsiSquared - 11/13/12 - 11:36am

Why didn’t they use a fade between hues on the faux FEA paint job? Have they no pride or duty to actual FEA plots?

call420 - 11/13/12 - 12:20pm

psiSquared, as others pointed out, in a displacement plot this is how it looks. its all about setting your legend bro. If they did it in stress it would be nice so you can tell where it will break

diehipsterdie - 11/13/12 - 12:23pm

i love all these so much, garrett is the man

Sam - 11/13/12 - 12:53pm

Makes me sad to see all these bikes hanging up instead of being ridden… I hope eventually they’ll make it to the road.

wigs - 11/13/12 - 12:54pm

these “designs” are about as relevant as Boonen

norm - 11/13/12 - 1:23pm

@wigs thanks for policing relevancy. Relevance in bicycle paint schemes is an important aspect of the browsing experience here on bikerumor, so I am relieved to know that we have someone tending to this crucial area of inquiry.

Al Boneta - 11/13/12 - 3:30pm

@wigs A big thank you also. Without you telling me what is relevant, I might have not figured it out on my own. So I know you have completed plenty of relevant designs that we should all be looking at, you just neglected to post the link. Also I need a list of everything you find relevant in this world, so myself and many others can know what we should be thinking about.

shin - 11/13/12 - 4:20pm

yawn. art? bwahaha

Psi Squared - 11/13/12 - 5:18pm

FYI, not all software does a stepped spectrum for displacement plots.

Jeff - 11/13/12 - 6:01pm

@Sam. Knowing G-Chow, I can bring testament that allot of these do get ridden or have been ridden regularly, several are his personal rides. Much respect for the guy, Killer work!

EthanM - 11/13/12 - 6:47pm

Also @wigs, didn’t boonen set some kinda record this year? something like the only guy to flanders-roubaix double twice? and help win the first worlds TTT? plus anybody whose defense against a drug charge is ‘i was too drunk to remember if i did coke or not’ earns relevance in my book.

Hobbanero - 11/13/12 - 7:18pm

I met Garrett at the Bay Area Super Prestige ‘cross race this weekend. Per the last pic in part 1 of the article, he is pretty handy on his single speed. The bike he had just raced would have been worthy of being in the show. It had so much subtle detailing and cool designs that reminded me of Pegoretti’s work.

Brian - 11/13/12 - 8:31pm

It’s a cool piece. Thanks.

One gripe – many of the photos are underexposed. I’d love to be able to make-out the tubes on the Langster and Allez, and not just the general frame shaping.

Sark - 11/13/12 - 9:48pm

@Psi Squared — You, Program… Proceed to the game grid. All programs unable to perform step spectra over displacement plots must report to game grid immediately!

Psi Squared - 11/14/12 - 7:23am

Awesome! I get to play a game.

call420 - 11/16/12 - 3:01pm

looks flexy

Tom - 11/21/12 - 5:23pm

the people that spend their time trying to correct every article or picture on here please stop go teach someone else please your annoying us.

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